Enrollment
637
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Brooklyn, MI
Columbia Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Columbia Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260699004300
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 58
📋 Attendance 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbia Central High School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Michigan schools.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Brooklyn · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.3:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 34.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbia Central High School has class sizes larger than 75% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Central High School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Brooklyn, MI.
School address
District: Columbia School District · Michigan
NCES ID 260699004300 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.3:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.6%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Columbia Central High School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Columbia Central High School
Columbia Central High School is a large combined-grade school in Brooklyn, Michigan, enrolling 637 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 637 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 544 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #28, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (89% of enrollment) (diversity index 20/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 212 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
14.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Columbia School District also operates Columbia Upper Elementary School (406 students) and Columbia Elementary School (307 students) alongside Columbia Central High School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Columbia Central High School compares
Columbia Central High School on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.3:1 | ▲ 10% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.6% | ▼ 36% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 637 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.3:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
637
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.3:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 75% in Michigan - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,762
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 212 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
24
in-school suspensions + 43 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 89.3%
Two or More 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 3.9%
African American 0.9%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 89.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.8, Columbia Central High School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 4
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Columbia School District, which includes Columbia Central High School.
$11,762
Per student
-13%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.7%
State 49.6%
Federal 9.8%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Columbia Central High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Upper Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Columbia Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Columbia Alternative Education | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbia Central High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 406
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 307
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 78
- Students per teacher
- 26:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~637 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbia Central High School's federal record.
- Compare Columbia Central High School against another school. Compare schools
- Columbia School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Columbia Central High School
How many students attend Columbia Central High School?
Columbia Central High School has 637 students enrolled. It is a public school in Brooklyn, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbia Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbia Central High School is 19.3:1, which is 10% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 23% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Columbia Central High School?
34.6% of students at Columbia Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbia Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Columbia Central High School is White at 89.3% of enrollment, in Brooklyn, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbia Central High School?
Columbia Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Columbia Central High School rank among public schools in Brooklyn?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Central High School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Brooklyn, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Brooklyn on the city page.
Is Columbia Central High School a good school?
Columbia Central High School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Michigan schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Columbia School District?
Besides Columbia Central High School, Columbia School District also operates Columbia Upper Elementary School (406 students), Columbia Elementary School (307 students), and Columbia Alternative Education (78 students). See the Columbia School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.